Akshardham Temple

History

Swaminarayan Akshardham is situated on the banks of River Yamuna in East Delhi near the Nizamuddin Bridge in New Delhi. The temple is a fine example of ancient Indian culture with all its breathtaking grandeur and beauty. The grand temple showcases India’s ancient architecture, traditions and spirituality. 'Akshardham' means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades.

The Akshardham Temple is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan and was constructed by Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). In honour the Akshardham temple in New Delhi was inaugurated by APJ Abdul Kalam on 6 November 2005. Pink sandstone and white marble (pink symbolizes bhakti in eternal bloom and white is for purity and eternal peace) is used for the construction of the temple and is replete with about 20, 000 statues, floral motifs, arches and exquisitely carved pillars. The temple sprawls over 100 acres and it took over five years to build with about 11,000 skilled craftsmen. A fusion of various contrasting styles such as Rajasthani, Oriya, Gujarati, Mughal and Jain styles are used to further enhance the beauty of the temple.

Apart from the mandir you can also have an insight of exhibitions, art gallery, musical fountain show and giant screen film in the IMAX theatre inside the temple complex. The source of inspiration behind the construction of the temple comes directly from the Akshardham Temple in Gandhinagar (Gujarat). The temple complex is well known for its unique blend of Hindu religion and Indian culture.

The temple complex is divided into many small structures. The main monument has been built according to the ' Vaastu Shastra' is 141 feet high, 316 feet wide and 370 feet long with 234 ornate pillar eleven 72-foot-high huge domes (mandapams) and decorative arches. There are about about 20, 000 sculptures of various Hindu gods and goddesses adorning all the parts of the temple. The grand and beautiful mandir is built without steel and consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangled shikhars, spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants) and 20,000 murtis and statues of India’s great sadhus, devotees, acharyas and divine persons.

The area around the temple building has been converted into lush green lawns with beautiful water fountains. There is an Akshardham Temple Monument to World Peace inside the temple complex. A well known tourist attraction, the Akshardham Temple is one of the finest structures built in the modern India. The temple showcases the beautiful blend of Indian culture through its statues, floral motifs, arches and wonderfully carved pillars.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Delhi and the Akshardham Temple complex is between October and March, when the weather is very pleasant. The flowers are in bloom in February and culturally it is an active time in Delhi. Summer temperatures are high and the heat can be quite unbearable.

Trivia

While in the Akshardham Temple you must witness the musical fountain show, art gallery and exhibitions.

The Akshardham Temple took five years to build with 7000 sculptors and thousands of workers working round the clock to complete this magnificent complex.

Timing

You can visit the temples anytime between 9:30 am and 6:30 pm on all days of the week except Monday when it is closed. The Musical Fountain timing is at 7:45 pm and this changes as per the sunset and season. No electronic items like mobile phones or cameras are allowed within the complex.